three students jumping for joy in front of a college building
UC Davis veterinary students (l. to r.) John-Gabriel Bermudez, James Joy, and Hailie Hou jump for joy after winning the 2025 AVMA Animal Welfare Assessment Contest.

Veterinary Students Win National Animal Welfare Assessment Contest

  • by Rob Warren
three students being awarded a plaque
Veterinary students (2nd from left to right) Hailie Hou, James Joy, and John-Gabriel Bermudez being awarded top prize in the Live Assessment Top Placing Team, Veterinary Student Division. 

A group of three UC Davis veterinary students were awarded top prize at the 2025 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Animal Welfare Assessment Contest, held recently at Texas A&M University. Third-year School of Veterinary Medicine students John-Gabriel Bermudez, Hailie Hou, and James Joy won the Live Assessment Top Placing Team, Veterinary Student Division at the event that drew more than 270 registrants from 23 universities across North America, testing their skills in assessing the welfare of animals.

The team’s winning assessment was on tilapia aquaculture welfare.

The team was coached by UC Davis alumna and Behavior resident Dr. Shanna Wade along with Dr. Jamie Nakatani (DVM and UC Davis Ph.D. student and teaching assistant). Also assisting the team were faculty member Dr. Esteban Soto and fellow Dr. Brian Anton, both of the Aquatic Animal Health section of the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Read more about the contest from the AVMA

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